Annunciator



June 11, 1935. R. B. BAKER ,0

ANNUNGIATOR Filed March 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 11, 1935. R. B. BAKER ANNUNCIATOR Filed March 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Claims.

Patented June 11, 1935 ii-s ren mm.

I tootsie ANN orAToa, Randall B. BakeryNe'edham, Mass assignor to The Holtzer-C'abot Electric CompanmRoxbury, Mass; a corporation-of Massachusetts Application March 26,1931, Serial No. 524,070

(m n-sam- The present invention relates to annunciators.

The object of the present invention is to provide asimple and compact multi-signal annunciator-capable of being viewed from either side.

5;.3To .this end, thepresent invention comprises the annunciator hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings showingthe preferred form of theinvention, Fig. l is a front elevation of one side of the preferred form of annunciator; Fig. 2 is a view of the annunciator-shown in Fig. 1 with the cover removed; and Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. l.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a hollow rectangular frame l0 having viewing panels l2 and 3 with transparent or translucent numerals or other characters thereon. The casing is attached to a support it which is adapted to be secured to a wall in such a manner that the annunciator protrudes into the corridor.

The characters on the panel l2 are arranged in two columns, the odd numerals in the lefthand column, and even numerals in the righthand column, the two columns being staggered. This arrangement is particularly adapted for a doctors paging system, wherein any doctors call consists of a number of two or more digits. In the arrangement of the characters in two columns, it has previously been necessary to employ two separate annunciators for installations where visibility on both sides is necessary. According to the present invention, the characters are visible in the same order on both sides or the annunciator with a smaller number of lamps than would be required in two separate annunciators. The invention accordingly permits the use of common lamps for one column of digits, as viewed from either-side of the annunciator, while separate sets of lamps are used for the other columns. Thus the panels on opposite sides of the annunciator are illuminated for the even digits by a single set of lamps, whereas the sets of odd digits are illuminated by separate sets of lamps. Whether viewed from either side, therefore, the numerals l, 3 and 5, etc. appear at the left of the even numerals 2, 4, 6, etc. In other words, the even digits of both panels are in register and may be illuminated from a single set of lamps, whereas the odd digits are out of register and must be separately illuminated.

The frame is provided internally with two uprights l8 and 20. Secured to the upright I8 is a bank of five closed cubical compartments 22 of less depth than the depth of the frame and open only to 1915211191.i I2. of theannunciatori.

Similarly to the-upright ZB-isse'cured a bank of.)

five closed compartments 2 open ohlyioth'e panel l3 of the annunciator. Betweenflthe com-- partments 22 and 24 .is -a bank-of.five compartments 26, extending. completely through, the frame and open to bothpanelsof the annun'ii. ciator. Lamp sockets, .28 'forj'thej compartments 22 are .secured to the upright I8,1 andjsockets 301 for the separate compartments; 2(l'aresecured" to the uprightZlli. Sockets 32,,f0lj'thg .intermee diate. compartments. ZEZare secured to thie walls. of "the cells immediately in back ofthe bank of cells 22. Each socket is fitted with a lamp, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The frame is provided at both sides with removable doors 32 and 34 which are attached to the frame by screw clamps 36. The door 32 has a flange 38 receiving a gasket dB. The panel I2 on one side of the annunciator is secured between the gasket M] and a series of resilient blocks 42 which are held in place by metallic clips or brackets Ml welded to the inside of the door. The panel for the other side of the annunciator is similiarly held in the door 3 1. As shown in Fig. 3, each panel preferably comprises two sheets of glass &6 and 48 between which is held a photographic film on whichthe characters appear. The film is opaque except for the transparent or translucent areas of the characters themselves. practically invisible against the dark interior'of the compartments until the lamps are illuminated. For either panel, the even numbered characters appear over the middle compartments 26, while the odd numbered characters appear at the left thereof and are illuminated by the lamps in either the compartments 24 or the compartments 22. It will be seen that the panels thus are of identical construction, and may be set up on either side of the annunciator. Thelamps are connected to any suitable call mechanism. The lamps of the middle compart- The characters are ments are separately wired, as indicated by the connection fill shown in dotted lines for the char-' acter 0. The lamps in the cells 22 are wired in ridor where it can be viewed from both sides. The annunciator employs only fifteen lamps as compared with the twenty lamps which would be required for similar indicationswith'two separate annunciators.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is! 1. annunciator comprising a frame, partitions mountedin. said frame, dividing said frame into a plurality of compartments arranged in three'vertical columns, a viewing panel for eachface of said frame, each panel having two vertical columns of characters, one column of characters on each panel being disposed oppositethemiddle.

column of compartments and the other column of characters on said panel being disposed opposite one of the other columns of compartments, the

which opens on. both faces of said frame, and two vertical columns of compartments on opposite sides of said middle "column, the'compartments of onejof said last, mentioned columns opening only on one .face of said frame to one side of said middle columnas viewed' from that face, the'compartments of said other last mentioned column opening only on the opposite face of said frame to the same side of said middle column as viewed from said opposite face, viewing panels mounted on opposite sides of said frame covering said compartments, each panel having two ver-,

whichopen toward it, the arrangement of characters on each panel being similar as viewed from the front of each panel, and a lamp mounted in each compartment, each character being rendered visible when the lamp in its corresponding compartment is illuminated.

3. In an annunciator comprising a frame, partitions mounted in said frame dividing said frame into a-.p1urality, of compartmentsarranged in three vertical columns, viewing panels mounted on opposite faces of said frame to close said compartments, each of said panels being provided with a similar vertical column of characters, each character-"of said colurrm being disposed OP PQ- site a corresponding compartment of the middle column of] compartments, a second column "of characters'on one panel disposed opposite one of the end columns of compartments and a second similar column of characters on the other panel disposed opposite the other end columnof compartments, a lamp mounted in each compartment, each lamp when energized rendering its corresponding character on the panels visible.

7 RANDALL BAKER. 

